Mary Kay Henry: Let's Get People Back to Work in a Clean Energy Economy

At the BlueGreen Alliance's 2011 "Good Jobs, Green Jobs" conference yesterday, SEIU President Mary Kay Henry spoke about how labor and environmentalists can work together to create a clean energy economy.

Joined by Communications Workers of America President Larry Cohen and National Resource Defense Council President Frances Beinecke on a panel moderated by Bill Press, Henry described some of the efforts SEIU members are taking to lead us into a green economy.

On greening our buildings:

"We've gotten to be able to green buildings and work with superintendents in New York City in terms of thinking about how to clean green, redo the kind of chemicals we're using, think about recycling and waste initiatives in buildings."

On greening our hospitals:

"Thanks to the Blue Green Alliance, the healthcare industry is getting awakened and thinking about the waste it generates and what our front line environmental service workers can do to green hospitals."

Henry also talked about how labor and environmentalists need to build a local movement that will push for a solution to the climate crisis:

 "We have to be the change that we seek in the way the president said when he was elected in '08 and we have to rebuild a movement...all across the country," said Henry. "And we aren't going to stop until we can get people back to work in a clean energy economy--and that we can do as a movement in building it from the states up."

SEIU locals and members are working hard to do their jobs more efficiently and reduce their impact on the environment. One example is SEIU Local 925 member Matt Edgerton, a school custodian outside Seattle. Matt developed a plan to lead a team of students, teachers, managers, parents and a building principal to replace the 100,000-plus Styrofoam trays being thrown away annually from the cafeteria's breakfast and lunch programs at the middle school where he worked.

Learn more about how SEIU members are helping pave the way to tomorrow's good, green jobs here.